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Freshmen Liam McNeeley and Sarah Strong thrive under the pressure of playing for UConn

By JIM FULLER Associated Press

STORRS, Conn. (AP) — A quick look at the banners and retired player numbers at Gampel Pavilion reminds us of the special players who came to UConn before Liam McNeeley and Sarah Strong.

However, it might be difficult to find a season where two freshmen came to UConn and were asked to carry the load for the Huskies like the two current freshmen stars.

Before Strong played her first college game, Hall of Fame coach Geno Auriemma suggested the 6-foot-11 freshman could change the trajectory of the UConn program. This came from the person who trained Rebecca Lobo, Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore and Breanna Stewart.

The UConn men’s basketball team lost four starters to a team that won its second straight national title. Coach Dan Hurley made it clear that McNeeley wasn’t going to be a player who would have a few months to figure things out.

In his first game, he scored two points, a rebound and an assist in the first four minutes of the season-opening win over Sacred Heart. McNeeley finished the game with 18 points and 10 rebounds. The next night, Strong had 17 points and six steals as the 11-time national champion UConn women’s basketball team opened the season by rolling past Boston University.

McNeeley is an outgoing, 6-foot-10 Texan who was at times one of the loudest players during timeouts when the Huskies lost three games in three days at the Maui Invitational. The soft-spoken, 6-foot-2 Strong began playing basketball when her family lived in Spain before moving to North Carolina. When dealing with the media, she is more like a typical newbie as she chooses her words very carefully. Despite their differences. Both play a loud game and enjoy the pressure of playing for elite college programs.

“I think they proved in high school that they were made for big moments and that they give their best when people expect it most from them,” Auriemma said. “That’s why they come to school (at UConn). We’ve definitely had some of that, and I don’t think there’s any expectation going into the season that this rookie is going to come in and be ready. Every now and then there are unique players and from what I’ve heard with the men, Liam and Sarah are that type of player that comes along every now and then.”

McNeeley and Strong don’t just thrive against overwhelmed opponents. Strong had 14 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and five blocked shots in a win over then-No. 14 North Carolina. McNeeley had 20 points in a loss to Colorado at the Maui Invitational. UConn played at home against No. 15 Baylor on Wednesday without its only returning starter. With Alex Karaban sidelined after suffering a concussion late in UConn’s final game at the Maui Invitational, McNeeley scored 10 of his 17 points in the second half to secure a four-point win.

Games like these are why McNeeley came to UConn. He’s ready to handle the pressure to help the program win a third straight national title.

“I decided to come here because I knew I would be challenged more than anyone else by the coaches and the team,” said McNeeley, who is second on the 25th-ranked Huskies with an average of 13 points per game is. “I feel like I’m doing my best there.”

Strong leads UConn in rebounding and also tops the second-place Huskies with 19 steals and 11 blocked shots. Only All-American guard Paige Bueckers averages more points for UConn than the 15.6 Strong contributes for the 7-0 team. Getting the chance to play for Auriemma, who recently became the winningest Division I college basketball coach of all time, was a key factor in Strong’s commitment to UConn.

“He knows the game really well and wants the best from all of us,” Strong said. “I know it will prepare me to get better and develop so I can go to the WNBA.”

There was a moment in one of UConn’s early games where Strong left the game. Auriemma waited for her to get to the UConn bench. As he stopped her and began to calmly explain to his star rookie what he was looking for, Strong looked directly at her head coach and tried to process every word that came her way. Many of those who came to UConn before Strong quickly retreated to the bench and let one of the assistants deliver the message. Strong chose a more sophisticated option.

“It’s really important,” Strong said. “I care about what he has to say and he’s going to put me in the best position possible, so I’ll accept whatever he says.”

Both newcomers will play high-profile games alongside their teammates this weekend.

The UConn women travel to New York to take on No. 22 Louisville in the Women’s Champions Classic on Saturday night at Barclays Center. The men’s team plays its first real away game of the season on Sunday against unranked Texas. McNeeley and his teammates will look to build on the Baylor win by taking on No. 7 Gonzaga at Madison Garden on Dec. 14.

“We have to build on this,” McNeeley said. “We’ve got two really big games coming up and league games after that so we’ve just got to keep the momentum going.”

The Associated Press contributed to this article